French Terms used in Legal Documents
A
à gogo: in abundance
à la: in the style of
à la carte: on the menu; Ordering by Menu.
à la mode: in the style
à propos: regarding, concerning
Abattoir: slaughterhouse
Accouchement: the process of having a baby
acquis communautaire: collection of EU laws
Adieu: to God, farewell; “we will not see each other again”
Adroit: skillful
Aide-mémoire: memory aid, a note to help you remember
allez!: go, a command; come on, an encouragement
allons-y!: Here we go
amuse-bouche or amuse-gueule: mouth amuser, amuse-gueule, gueule is the mouth of an animal (carnivore); it is a vulgar expression
ancien régime: ancient political system
Aperçu, shortened as apéro: a first impression; preview
Apéritif, shortened as apéro: a drink before having a meal
appellation contrôlée: supervised use of a name
Appellation d'origine contrôlée: controlled designation of origin, supervised use of a name
après nous, le déluge: After us, the deluge
Arête: a narrow ridge, fishbone, bridge of the nose.
Armoire: a cabinet, wardrobe.
Art nouveau: a fashion style, including decoration and architecture, from the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
Attaché: embassy personnel, to fasten
Attaque au fer: an attack on the blade
au contraire: on the contrary.
au courant: up-to-date; current
au fait: conversant in or with, instructed in or with.
au jus: with juice, (être au jus, to be informed).
au pair: a young foreign girl who does usually child care and education for board and lodging.
au revoir: see you later
Avant-garde, avant-gardes: on the edge, advance guard meaning first to attack
avant la lettre: before it had a name, forerunner of something
avec plaisir: with pleasure, my pleasure
Avoirdupois, also avoir de pois, aveir de peis: things sold by weight, goods of weight
B
Ballet: classical dance
beau geste: beautiful gesture, gracious gesture, a noble but often futile gesture
Beaux-Arts: early 20th century style made famous by the Académie des Beaux-Arts
beaucoup: plenty, a lot; (merci beaucoup, thank you very much)
bel esprit, beaux esprits: fine mind; a cultivated, intelligent person or persons
belle: a beautiful woman or girl
Belle Époque: good epoch from the late 19th century until World War I in Europe
belles-lettres: fine letters
bien fait: well done, “schadenfreude” when someone is well-deservedly punished
bien pensant, bien-pensance(noun): well thinking, to think something right, implies willful blindness to problems, dangers or suffering endured by others.
Blasé: indifferent, unimpressed with life or something
Bleu celeste: sky blue
bon appétit: good appetite, enjoy your meal
bon mot: well-chosen words, a witty remark
bon vivant: one who has an epicurean lifestyle, who enjoys the good life,
bon voyage: good journey, travel well, have a good journey, trip
bonjour: good day, good morning, or good afternoon
bonne chance: good luck , I wish you good luck
les boules: the balls, (a vulgar term) you are talking about something terrible
bourgeois: a member of the bourgeoisie. A derogatory term used by the perverted rich to refer to a person whose attitudes, beliefs and practices are conventional and middle-class.
bouquet: a handful of flowers.
bric-à-brac: small ornaments, small objects somewhat valuable
de bric et de broc: by hook or by crook
brack: refuse
brioche: a small bun, slang to refer to potbelly
brunette: girl with brown hair.
Bureau: office or desk. Bureaux is the plural form
C
ça ne fait rien: that doesn't matter
cache: the same type of items stored in a hidden secret place
cachet: stamp, prestige, quality
café, a coffee shop coffee
café au lait: coffee with milk; a light-brown color birthmark or spot
calque: copy, reproduction
canard: duck, An unfounded, false, deliberately misleading story, s6+omething found on the fuselage of an aircraft
carte blanche: white card, unlimited authority
carte de visite: visiting card, a calling card
carte d'identité: identity card
carte nationale d'identité: national identity card, (CNI)
c'est bon: that's good
c'est la guerre: Such is war, That's War, Such is life, life is harsh but we can’t do anything about it.
c'est la mode: that's the fashion
c'est la vie: That's life, Such is life, implying life is hard
c'est magnifique: it's magnificent, that's great
c’est tout: That's all, that is everything,
chacun ses goûts, à chacun ses goûts, à chacun son goût: each to his own taste, to each his (their) own taste(s)
chaise longue, chaise lounge or chase lounge: reclining chair
Champs-Élysées, Avenue des Champs-Élysées, les Champs: "Elysian Fields"; boulevard in Paris
Chanteuse: a female singer
chapeau: a hat, also "hats off to Henri" (when congratulating a person)
chargé d'affaires: a diplomat left in charge at a diplomatic mission.
charlatan: a fake or deceiver, a con man or woman
châteaux en Espagne: “castles in Spain” meaning castles in the air or in your dreams (only imagination).
Chauffeur: driver
chef d'œuvre: masterpiece
cherchez la femme: "look for the woman,” find the real reason for his behavior
chevalier d'industrie: knight of industry: swindler, a person who lives by his or her wit and swindle others
chez: at the house of
chic: stylish
chignon: a french hairstyle
cinéma pur: a Parisien avant-garde film movement from the 1920s and 1930s
cinéma vérité: documentary filmmaking using realism
cinq, (cinque): five
cliché: stereotype
clique: a small group of friends, usualy exculsive
commandant: a commanding officer; le commandant de bord, an airline pilot; chef de bataillon, chef d'escadron, Army Major; capitaine de corvette to capitaine de vaisseau, any commanding officer heading a ship
comme ci, comme ça, couci-couça: so-so, Okey, like this like that, neither good nor bad
comme il faut: as it should be, as it must be, the proper way, in accordance with conventions or accepted standards
communiqué: an official communicationConcierge: a receptionist at a motel, hotel or residence
Concordat: agreement; treaty
confrère: a colleague, esp. in the medical and law professions
congé: time off work, departure
conte: a short story, a tale
contre-coup: against the blow
contre-jour: against daylight
contretemps: clash; delay
coquette: flirting girl, teaser
cordon sanitaire: quarantine line
cortège: all kinds of processions, a funeral procession
corvée: an unpleasant/tedious task, forced labour
cotte d'armes: coat of arms
coup de foudre: thunderbolt, strike of thunder, love at first sight
coup de grâce: blow of mercy
coup de maître: blow or strike by the master, stroke of the master, master stroke
coup d'œil: a blow of the eye, touch of the eye, a glance
coup de théâtre: a twist in the tale, unexpected dramatic turn of events
couture: fashion, high fashion
couturier: a fashion designer specializing in high fashion
crèche; kindergarten, also refer to a nativity display
crème brûlée: burnt cream, caramel
crème de la crème: best of the best, cream of the cream
crème fraîche: fresh cream, heavy cream
crêpe: pancake, usualy sweet and can be a light meal or dessert
crêperie: a takeaway stall, also a restaurant or café
cri d'amour: cry of love
critique: evaluating and criticizing a book, art or work, the art of criticizing
croissant: a crescent-shaped bread made, has a pastry character
cuisine minceur: gourmet cooking for healthy living
cul-de-sac: arse of the bag however meaning dead-end street; impasse, voie sans issue also being used for dead-end street
D
D'accord: “agreed upon”, in accord; agreed; sure; OK; of course
débâcle: an event, a situation or an action by an indiwidual or group that ends disastrously
de nouveau, de novo: new, again, anew, de règle: according to custom, accoding to regulation
de rigueur: required, expected
de trop: excessive, too much
déclassé: low class, inferior social status
décolleté: when a woman's chest or cleavage is exposed, a low-cut woman's garment that exposes cleavage
décor: decoration of a room
découpage: an art form usin decoration with cut paper
dépôt: a deposit: a storehouse, bus depot, banking deposit, geology deposit
demi-glace: a wine-based sauce for meats and poultry
demi-sec: semi-dry, semi-dry wine
déjà vu: already seen, seen before
Dénouement: the end result, final result
dérailleur: gear-shift mechanism on a bicycle
dernier cri: latest scream, the latest fashion
derrière: behind, rear, buttocks
déshabillé: type of garment, partially clad or dressed
désolé: sorry
détente: process of easing of diplomatic tension
diablerie: witchcraft, wickedness
Dieu et mon droit: God and my right, motto on the British royal arms
directeur sportif: sports director divertissement: entertainment, amusing diversion
dossier: a file containing information about a crime or person(s), any file even a directory
douceur de vivre: sweetness of life
doyen: the senior male member of a group
doyenne: the senior female member of a group
dressage: a way of horse training, taming an animal
droit du seigneur, droit de cuissage: right of the lord to take the virginity of his vassal's bride on her wedding night
du jour: of the day, today's choice, fashionable for today only
E
eau de Cologne: perfume originating in Cologne, Germany
eau de toilette: grooming water, a lighter version of perfume
eau de vie: water of life, type of brandy
écarté: ballet position, card game
échappé: foot position in dance
éclair: cream and chocolate pastry
éclat: great achievement, great success, great applause
écorché: showing the muscles and bones that are visible with the skin removed
élan: distinctive style, distinctive flair
élan vital: vital ardor, life-force
éminence grise: grey eminence, a person with little formal power but great influence over those in authority
en banc: full bank of judges
en bloc: as a group
en escalier: like stairs going up
en famille: doing something with the family
en garde: be on your guard, used in fencing
en grande tenue: in full dress, in full uniform
en passant: in passing; (in chess)
en plein air:in the open air
en pointe: tiptoe (in ballet)
en principe, oui: in principle yes; yes but, yes but no
en route: on the way, on route
je suis enchanté: I am enchanted to meet you, enchanté, nice to meet you
enfant terrible: terrible child
ennui: boredom
Entente:diplomatic agreement
entre nous: confidentially between us
entrée: entrance, the first course of a meal
entremets: side dish that can be served between the courses of a meal, also desserts and puddings
entrepreneur: a person starts a new business
embonpoint: plump, stoutness
escargot: snail
escritoire, écritoire: writing desk
esprit de corps: spirit of the body, a feeling of solidarity amongst group members, high morale among members of a group usualy in the military
esprit de l'escalier: wit of the stairs, clever statement
l'État, c'est moi: I am the state
étiquette, etiquette: rules for correct behavior between people in certain situations and also within certain professions
étude: study
étui: small ornamental case
excusez-moi: excuse me
excusez le mot: excuse the word
extraordinaire: extraordinary
et toi: and you
F
Façade: the front view, putting on a façade indicating a fake persona
fait accompli: accomplished fact
faute de mieux: for want of better
faux: false, fake
faux amis: false friends
faux pas: false step, breaking unwritten, social rules
femme fatale: deadly woman: a woman, usualy attractive, takes advantage of men for her personal goals, after which she abandons them. A relationship with her will cause pain and sorrow
Feuilleton: little leaf of paper: a periodical, publishing mainly on matters such as literature, art, and fashions
fiancé/e: betrothed, a man or woman engaged to be married
fier de l'être: proud of being
film noir: black film, movies from the 1940s and 1950s about crime and immorality
fils: son, added after a man's family name to distinguish father and son
fin de saison: end of season: end of season sale etc
Flambé: flamed: when alcohol is added to a very hot pot or pan to create a burst of flames, when something is on fire or burned
Flambeau: burning torch
flâneur: a person aimlessly strolling the streets
fleur-de-lis, fleur-de-lys: the flowers on the arms of the French Kingdom
fleur de sel: flower of salt, salt with a mild lavender scent
foie gras, pâté de foie gras: fatty liver, pâté made from goose liver
folie à deux: two closely related people who share delusionsforce majeure: very powerful unforseeable force usualy in nature, used in insurance contracts
forme fruste (opposite: forme pleine): an atypical manifestation of a syndrome or disease etc
froideur: coldness in behaviour
G
Gaffe: blunder, mistake
garçon: boy, male servant
garde manger: keeper of the food, cold food supervisor
gauche: tactless, left
gaucherie: boorishness
gendarme: member of a gendarmerie (military)
genre: a type or class used in art and music
glissade: to slide down
les goûts et les couleurs ne se discutent pas, les goûts et les couleurs…: tastes and colours are not argued over
grâce à: thanks to, by the grace of, because of
Grand Prix: Great Prize
grand projet:large project for general social benefit, and not always profitable
Grand Guignol: name of horror show; Guignol, fool, crazy person
Grenadier: an elite soldier
H
habitué: a person who regularly frequents a place
haute couture: high sewing, custom-fitted clothing and fashion from Paris
haute cuisine: high cooking, upper class gastronomy
haute école: high school, advanced horsemanship
hauteur: height, arrogance
haut monde: high world, fashionable society
homme du monde: man of the world, a sophisticated, cultured man
honi soit qui mal y pense: shamed be he who thinks ill of it
hors concours: out of the running, a non-competitor
hors de combat: out of the fight
hors d'œuvre: outside the main work, appetizer
huis-clos: closed door, a closed cell or room or place where nothing can not be seen or heard from outside
I
idée fixe: fixed idea, obsession
impasse: deadlock
insouciant/e: a nonchalant man or woman
ingénu/e: an innocent young man or woman
J
j’accuse: I accuse
j'adore, je t'adore: I adore you, I love you completely
j'adoube: “I adjust,” an anouncement in chess to straighten pieces without commiting to move; adouber, to dub, the action of knighting someone
j'arrive: I arrive
Jacques Bonhomme: Jacques (the) goodman, a mock name given to a French peasant who submitted to taxation
je m'appelle: my name is…
je m'en fous: I don't give a damn, I don't give a f..k
je ne regrette rien: I regret nothing, Non, je ne regrette rien
je ne sais pas: I don't know; chais pas: don't know
je ne sais quoi: I don't know what
je t'aime: I love you, I like you
je t'aime bien: I love you well (to a friend)
jeu d'esprit: play of spirit, a witty or light-hearted comment
jeunesse dorée: gilded youth, rich kids
joie de vivre: joy of life, joy of living
L
laïcité: separation of the State and the Church
laissez-faire: "let do",leaving alone, non-interference
laissez-passer: travel document, passport
laissez les bons temps rouler: "let the good times roll"(used by Cajuns from Louisiana, USA) it has the same meaning as profitez des bons moments, meaning enjoy the good moments.
lamé: woven fabric or knit with metallic yarns
lanterne rouge: the last-place finisher in a cycling stage race as in the Tour de France
layette: a new baby’s set of clothing and accessories
lèse majesté: an offense against an authority, someone's dignity or against a sacred custom, in Latin crimen laesae maiestatis, the crime of injured majesty
liaison: close relationship, affair or bond.
Liberté, Égalité, Fraternité: Liberty, Equality/Egality, Brotherhood
littérateur: an intellectual or writer
louche: of questionable taste
M
macramé: lace work made with knotted cords
mademoiselle: young unmarried lady, miss; literally "my noble young lady"
mais oui: but of course
maison: house
mal de mer: sea sickness, motion sickness
malaise: a feeling of depression, unease, uncomfortable feeling
Eat-all; peas that can be eaten with the pod
manqué: failed, unfulfilled
mange tout: Eat-all; peas that can be eaten with the pod
Mardi gras: Fat Tuesday, the last day of eating meat before Lent
Marque: n model or brand
Materiel: hardware, supplies or equipment
mauvais quart d'heure: bad quarter hour, a short uncomfortable moment or time
mélange: mixture
Mêlée: rough crowd
ménage à trois: household for three, three people having a sexual arrangement
merci beaucoup: thank you very much
merde: shit
merde alors: shit then, damn it
métier: a field of work or other activity; usually one in which one has special ability or training
milieu: middle, social environment; setting
milieu intérieur: multicellular organisms exist in an internal environment composed of the blood, lymph, and interstitial fluid that bathes all cells. It provides a medium for the elementary exchange of material such as nutrients and waste.
mirepoix: a cooking mixture, two parts onions, one part celery, one part carrods
mise en place: put in place
mise en scène: to prepare the setting off a stage
mise en table: table setting
moi: me, usualy an ironic or sarcastic reply
moi aussi: me too
le moment suprême: the supreme moment, climax
Mon ami: my male friend
Mon amie: my female friend
Mon Dieu: my God
Monsieur, messieurs(plural)Mr., a man, a gentleman
Montage: editing
le mot juste: the just word, the right word at the right time, chercher le mot juste, to search for the right word
motif: cause, purpose, on the grounds of…..
moue: a pout , a pursing together of the lips, usually to indicate dissatisfaction,
mousse: any type of foam, hear cream
N
Naturellement: naturally
né, née: born: a man’s birth name and the maiden name for a woman
n'est-ce pas?: isn't it Right?
noblesse oblige: nobility obliges: The favored should help the less favored
nom de guerre: war name, a pseudonym
nom de plume: pen name, author's pseudonym
nouveau, fem. nouvelle: new
nouveau riche: newly rich
nouvelle cuisine: new cuisine
nouvelle vague: new wave, a new trend of something
O
objet d'art: a work of art
œuvre: work, an artist's work
omelette: omelette
ouais: yeah
oui: yes
P
pain au chocolat: chocolate bread, a pastry with chocolate inside, chocolatine
pain aux raisins: raisin bread.
panache: flamboyant manner
papier-mâché: chewed paper, a paper and paste artform
par avion: by air mail, by plane
par excellence: by excellence
parc fermé: closed park
parkour: sport involving climbing using buildings
Parole: spoken word, speech
parvenu: going up in society
pas de deux: a duet, close relationship between two persons
pas de problème: no problem
pas de trois: a dance for three in ballet.
passe-partout: a document or key that permits one to pass or travel at will
pastiche: an imitation
patois: nonstandard language, dialect, jargon
père: father, used after a man's surname to distinguish a father from a son
petite bourgeoisie: petty bourgeoisie, the lower middle class.
la petite mort: the little death, orgasm
peut-être: possibly, maybe, perhaps
pied-à-terre: foot-on-the-ground, a place to stay in the city, foothold
pince-nez: pinch nose, a pair of glasses without temple arms.
pis-aller: worse, a last resort
piste: on piste, skiing at a ski area; off piste, skiing in the country
plat du jour: dish of the day
plongeur: dishwasher (fem, plongeuse)
plus ça change, plus c'est la même chose also plus ça change, plus c’est pareil or just plus ça change: the more things change, the more they stay the same
plus royaliste que le roi: more royalist than the king
point d'appui: fixed point, the base or assembly point for a military unit prior to a battle
pomme: apple
pomme de terre: apple of the earth, potato
porte cochère: a passageway through a building to let vehicles pass from the street to an interior courtyard, usually it is used as a drop-off zone for passengers
poseur: poser, a person who pretends what he or she is not
pot-au-feu: soup, stew
pour encourager les autres: to encourage others, an excessive punishment to make as an example (irony)
pourboire: for drink, tip, donner un pourboire, to tip.
prêt-à-porter: ready to wear, clothing off the shelf, in contrast to haute couture
première dame: first lady
prie-dieu: pray God, pray to God, prayer desk
prix fixe: fixed price, a fixed priced menu
protégé/e: a man or woman who receives help and support from an influential and superior mentor
provocateur: agitator
Q
Quai d'Orsay: the Paris address of the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Quatorze juillet: 14th July. Also known as Bastille Day, the French National Day
quel dommage!: What a pity!
quelle horreur! What a horrible thing!
quelle surprise!: What a surprise!
Qu'est-ce que c'est:? What is this. What is that?
qui vive?: who is living? who is here?
quoi de neuf?: What's new? What's happening? What's up?
R
Raconteur: storyteller
raison d'État: reason of state
raison d'être: reason for being, purpose of existence
rapport: relationship, good relationship
rapprochement: to bring together, the establishment of cordial relations
reconnaissance: gratitude, scouting
renaissance: rebirth
reportage: reporting
répondez s'il vous plait, RSVP: please reply
reservoir: place to keep large quantities of water, large water tank, artificial lake
ressentiment: deeply seated resentment and feelings of hostility and frustration, often accompanied by a sense of being powerless and the inability to communicate these feelings directly
Restaurateur: restaurant owner
Retard: a person with a very low intelligence, a supporter of the French left
Riposte: retort, in fencing a fencer's swift return thrust following a parry
Rive Gauche: the left bank of the River Seine in Paris, it also refers to writers and artists of a certain time
roi fainéant: do-nothing king, powerless king
role: a part of an actor in a play
roman à clef: novel with a key, when referring to actual persons and events in a fictional novel
roué: a lecherous dissipated old man.
Roux: a mixture of flour and fat used in soups and sauces
S
Sabotage: subversive undermining, from sabot that means wooden shoe; workers threw their sabots into machines to jam them up
Saboteur: a man or woman who commits sabotage
Sacrebleu!: Sacred Blue!, an outcry of shock, horror
sang-froid: cold blood, staying cool under stressful situations, meurtre de sang-froid cold-blooded murder
sans: without
sans-culottes: without breeches, a name of the insurgent lower class crowd in the streets of Paris during the French Revolution. They wore full-length pants pantaloons instead of the knee-length culotte of the aristocracy
saperlipopette: goodness gracious
sauté: jumped; fry in a small amount of fat or oil.
sauve qui peut!: “save who can”, every man for himself
savant: knowing, expert
savoir-faire: know how to do, the correct response in any given situation.
savoir-vivre: a knowing how to live, etiquette, étiquette
s'il vous plaît (SVP): if it pleases you, if you please
silhouette: the outline of a person or something
T
tableau: chalkboard, whiteboard, notice board
tableau vivant: living picture
tant mieux: so much the better.
tant pis: too bad
tenné: orange-brown
tête-à-tête: head to head: private conversation between two people.
Toilette: the process of grooming. les toilettes: the toilet room.
torsade de pointes: twisting around a point, a type of heart rhythm.
Touché: touched
tour de force: feat of strength
tout de suite: everything following; at once, immediately
très: very (often ironic)
très beau: very beautiful
très bonne: very good
tricoteuse: a woman who knits and gossips during the executions of the French Revolution.
trompe-l'œil: trick the eye
trou de loup: wolf hole, booby trap.
U
un point c’est tout: And that’s final, and that’s that, full stop
V
vas-y!: Go Ahead! encouragement vah-zee
va-t'en!: Go from here, Go away
vendu, vendus: sold, traitor for money.
venu/e: come, invited man or woman; bienvenu/e: welcome; le premier venu, the first who came
vin de pays: country wine
vinaigrette: salad dressing
vis-à-vis: face to face
vive: Long life…,Vive la France
vive la différence!: live the difference, long live the difference!
Voilà: see there, there it is
volte-face: about face, a complete turn-around of opinion
Voulez-vous coucher avec moi (ce soir)?: Do you want to sleep with me (tonight)?
voyeur: onlooker; a peeping tom
Z
le zinc:café or bar counter
zut alors, zut!: darn! Dang! Shoot!